Briefs

Fortune.com has featured Titan Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:TTNP) and its ProNeura technology, calling it a “formidable new class of pharmaceutical implants.”

The article said Titan’s Probuphine implant for the treatment of opioid addiction, which delivers buprenorphine to patients over a period of weeks or months, are coming into their own. Titan also is preparing to begin clinical testing of another implant for Parkinson's disease.

According to Fortune, this under-the-skin technology solves a big problem with pills, namely, that you have to remember to take them. And because of aging and the rise of chronic diseases, Americans have more pills to remember to take.

In addition, the price of forgetting to take your pills is considerable. Aside from the poorer health outcomes, non-adherence, a problem for 25% to 50% of patients, depending on the condition, results in an estimated $100-billion to $300-billion a year in avoidable healthcare costs.

“If such devices take off, experts say they could prevent that waste, not to mention, save chronic sufferers who miss their meds the pain,” the article added.

In addition to the article, Fortune posted an in-depth video interview with Titan's Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer, Dr. Kate Beebe.